Littlefield debates housing illegals

LITTLEFIELD — The American flag that once flew over the Bill Clayton Detention Center in Littlefield is gone.

Resident Gary Pringle took it down in protest of the town’s consideration of detaining illegal immigrants in the now-vacant West Texas prison.

“There will never be an American flag flying over that facility while it houses illegal aliens,” he said.

But Pringle’s was just one voice heard by Littlefield City Council at a town hall meeting Tuesday. To alleviate concerns residents have expressed since the city went public with its negotiations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week, City Manager Mike Arismendez answered dozens of questions.

Will immigrant children be in my child’s classroom, one resident asked on a sheet of paper provided at the beginning of the meeting.

No, Arismendez said. There are education requirements for illegal immigrants of school age, but they will be taught in the prison facility.

Immigrants will not set foot out of the compound unless their residency issues have been resolved, they are being deported or they have severe medical issues, he said.

Another resident asked about potential diseases.

Arismendez said the immigrants will be screened for health issues at the border and when they arrive at the facility. Barring major medical needs, the detainees will receive treatment in the prison and the bill will be sent to the federal government.

The 382-bed Bill Clayton Detention Center has been vacant since 2009 despite almost selling for close to $6 million in a 2011 auction.

The prison was built through a city bond to serve as an economic development tool. Maintaining the unoccupied 95,000-square-foot facility costs the city close to $1 million a year, Littlefield Mayor Danny Marquez said.

“The $800,000 that leaves Littlefield for that prison every year, that’s hard,” he said.

If the city does secure a contract with ICE, the federal government would pay Littlefield an estimated $82 to $88 per diem per person, Arismendez said.

For Marine veteran Shea Colbert, that’s enough.

“Why are you going to leave a prison empty if you can make money off of it,” he said, noting there are few American families who didn’t immigrate to the country at some point.

Still, Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, will not back the potential repurposing of the prison.

“Congressman Neugebauer does not support housing illegal immigrants in Littlefield, Texas, or anywhere else in the United States,” spokesman Adam Rice said in an email. “He remains focused on securing the border. He is pleased the community of Littlefield will have an opportunity to discuss this important issue with their local elected leaders.”

While the congressman was not in attendance Tuesday, Arizmendez did say the city’s federal representative issued a statement of support for the project last year.

“All I can tell you is I have a letter of support from Randy Neugebauer that he wrote in May of 2013 to Director John Morton at ICE saying that he supported bringing illegal immigrants to Littlefield,” Arismendez said.

“If he’s changed his mind, that’s perfectly OK.”

Neugebauer’s Democratic opponent in the upcoming November general election, Neal Marchbanks, was at the town hall meeting.

“This is an opportunity. Somebody is going to pick up these dollars, and I would think that Littlefield needs the dollars,” he said. “They’re spending a lot of money. That is a beautiful facility, and it shouldn’t be empty.”

ICE handles illegal immigrant adults and family units, while Health and Human Services handles unaccompanied minors. The city has not been in contact with HHS, Arismendez said, so the facility likely will not be used to house the growing number of children crossing the border alone.

And while there may be illegal immigrant children, it won’t be 6-year-olds in prison cells.

The compound will be repurposed to better accommodate the possible 600-plus detainees, Arismendez said.

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Well Gary, the federal government will be using YOUR tax dollars to pay $82 to $88 per diem per person in this and other facilities around the country.....not to mention what they will pay for the medical care and education!
This is what these aliens, immigrants, (whatever the heck you want to call them) have been doing to our country for years. The financial burden has drained our system long enough!

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County has the right idea, house criminals in tents. The federal government should have tent cities along our border and house the illegal aliens there. When the illegal aliens realize what living conditions they will be staying in, it might change their mind of coming to the United States illegally. Plus, it would cut down on deportation costs as they could be escorted from the tent city to the border. If the illegal alien is not from a neighboring country, then our government could deport them through the usual process.

If our wise leader from Washington D.C. doesn't believe that we have a border security problem, then why didn't he visit the border for an up close first hand inspection instead of raising money for his political buddies here in Texas a couple of weeks ago? Our so called "Secured Boarders" are a joke.